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1 hour ago, Victrix said:

Haha sorry but thanks. Needed another coin to justify the shipping costs from Artemide. Won at my max sadly :P. 

😂😂😂

Thats funny - same here. I got the Nero Sestertius and search for another nice coin for shipping costs - and see that Fulvia, but…

So I have now only the Nero… 

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Posted (edited)

I don't dabble in minor coins as a rule, but this charming and scarce Athenian bronze, listed on eBay, became an exception.  The strike is pleasant, but there is a flan flaw on the obverse - not too intrusive.

Attica, Athens, AE 14, 130-90 BC.

 HGC 4, 1734; Kroll 1993, no. 100.

4.19 grams

Obverse: Cicada.

Reverse: Owl standing on thunderbolt, A and θ of city's ethnic to the left.

Struck on a narrow thick flan.

D-CameraAthensAE14130-90BCHGC41734Kroll1993no.100cicada-owlonthunderbolt4.19grams1-6-24.jpg.93efcb3afa878208c71920fe485c2004.jpg

Edited by robinjojo
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Posted · Supporter
9 minutes ago, robinjojo said:

I don't dabble in minor coins as a rule, but this charming and scarce Athenian bronze, listed on eBay, became an exception.  The strike is pleasant, but there is a flan flaw on the obverse - not too intrusive.

Attica, Athens, AE 14, 130-90 BC.

 HGC 4, 1734; Kroll 1993, no. 100.

4.19 grams

Obverse: Cicada.

Reverse: Owl standing on thunderbolt, A and θ of city's ethnic to the left.

Struck on a narrow thick flan.

D-CameraAthensAE14130-90BCHGC41734Kroll1993no.100cicada-owlonthunderbolt4.19grams1-6-24.jpg.93efcb3afa878208c71920fe485c2004.jpg

Love that cicada!

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My first 2 real purchases of 2024:
 

GetaAE15198-209ADAntiochPisidiaNike.png.4ede96d5047b766732be604bbd422b48.png

Geta as Caesar
198-209 AD
AE15
Antioch, Pisidia
Obverse: P SЄ [Γ]ЄTAS C, Bare-headed and draped bust right
Reverse: COL[…]S ЄNЄ, Nike advancing left, holding wreath and palm branch

PisidiaTermessosMajorPseudo-autonomousAE30200-300ADTychecrownedbyNike.png.93157d34795c01c8e1d5342d61e3eca1.png

Termessos Major, Pisidia
Pseudo-autonomous
Circa 200-300 AD
AE30
Obverse: TEPMHCCEΩN, laureate head of Zeus right
Reverse: ΤΩΝ ΜΕΙΖΟΝΩΝ, Tyche standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia, being crowned by Nike

 

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8 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Athalaric, Solidus, Victory

Lovely coin!

My latests ancient coin is much more humble. I picked this one up for little money because I like the artistic reverse:

RomVespasianDenarSecuritas.png.c75605958bd7762911d9382f527202cd.png

Vespasian, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 75 AD, Rome mint. Obv: [IMP] CAESAR VESPASIANVS [AVG]; head of Vespasian, laureate, r. Rev: PON MAX TR P COS VI; Securitas, naked to waist, seated l., feet on stool, resting head on raised arm. 18mm, 3.22g. Ref: RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Vespasian 774.

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Happy New year! My first coin of 2024 is an antoninianus of Gallienus.

Obv: GALLIENVS AVG: Radiate bust right, with drapery over shoulders
Rev: VICTORIA AET: Victory standing left, holding wreath and palm branch
S/P//-
Rome, 9th emission 
MIR 708A var ,RIC 586 var (Siscia) 
 

 

Screenshot_20240106-132100.png.0bfa095487b0b03f61580b68c1e348b7.png

This bust/reverse pairing was unknown to Göbl. Wolkow identifies one example he lists as unique in his booklet GALLIEN – L’ÉMISSION DITE « DES FIGURES ASSISES » ET LES ÉMISSIONS S/P-P/II. This was from CNG XXXI, lot 1122 and pictured below. They appear to be die matches. 

Screenshot_20240106-134305.png.0ca3833e7766f4fe899ad16720406cd4.png

Edited by Molag Bal
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Thanks again to @Roman Collector for the help with the determination - access for the weekend. Apparently I happened to get a slightly rarer type. At acsearch I only found 4 Sesterces, 2 As and 1 Dupondius for this Aeternitas type.

 

Diva Faustina I the Elder under Antoninus Pius; Reign: Antoninus Pius; Mint: Rome; Date: 141 AD; Nominal: As; Material: AE Bronze; Diameter: 27mm; Weight: 11.16g; Reference: BMC 1548; Reference: Cohen 31; Reference: RIC III Antoninus Pius 1158; Obverse: Bust of Faustina I, draped, right, hair elaborately waved and coiled in bands across head and drawn up at back and piled in a round coil on top; Inscription: DIVA FAVSTINA; Translation: Diva Faustina; Translation: The divine Faustina [the Elder]; Reverse: Aeternitas standing left, holding globe and raising above head a starry mantle; Inscription: AETERNITAS S C; Translation: Aeternitas, Senatus Consultum; Translation: Eternity. Decree of the senate.
 
faustina.png.56b1cc39eea8cc99a58d741fa8f4c23f.png
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Posted (edited)

Here's a very high grade, lustrous imitation (I believe) owl. that arrived late last week.  There also seems to be a small countermark on the obverse, the nature of which I am still trying to figure out.  The coin does have a couple of die breaks on the reverse.

Athens, eastern imitation owl, late 5th-mid 4th century BC.

17.2 grams

D-CameraAthenseastimitationowllate5th-mid4thcenpossibleCMBC17.2g1-7-24.jpg.18773b3eccc440727f7c5fbac3b8bad6.jpg

 

Here's a closeup of the possible countermark:

D-CameraAthenseastimitationowldetaillate5th-mid4thcenpossibleCMBC17.2g1-7-24.jpg.1d6d2f09b28cc594995ab1a10f01d018.jpg

There appears to be flow lines that would suggest that this is a countermark.  On the other hand it is very small, quite discrete, compared to what I have seen with other countermarks.

Also, for those interested in the Buttrey/Flament  Egyptian owl types, here are some examples from the 1989 Syrian Hoard:

Buttrey-FlamentStyleEgyptianimitativeowlsfrom1989SyriaHoard1-6-24.jpg.d6fa66a1dcd5ba90e55cbdea8aa9d1dc.jpg

 

Edited by robinjojo
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I just won this denarius of Severus Alexander.

image.jpeg.99bfb29c24401820a72da16e2d92a455.jpeg

SEVERUS ALEXANDER (222-235). Denarius. Rome, AD 231-235.
Obv: IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG. Laureate and draped bust right.
Rev: IOVIS PROPVGNATOR. Jupiter standing right, hurling thunderbolt.
RIC 240.

Despite the abundance of well-preserved coins from his era, finding a denarius that truly resonated with me took a few months. I've finally discovered one that appeals to me both aesthetically and historically.
The depiction of Jupiter on the reverse particularly intrigues me, as it strikingly contrasts with his predecessor Elagabal's preference. According to Cassius Dio, Elagabal prioritized the Syrian sun god over Jupiter. Given that I primarily collect one silver coin per emperor, I like this one as a representative specimen for Severus Alexander.

Edited by Salomons Cat
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These Syrian 'uncertain' tetradrachms for Elagabal are very interesting. They are not 'imitations' but rather the low tail end of the minting of this denomination, before Gordian III reestablished it some 20 years later:

4924386_1701792700.jpg.4b568e346eee08bc5ef0a443821253b1.jpg
AR25mm 11.40g billon tetradrachm, Antioch, Emesa or pseudo-Laodicea(?) ca. 219

 

4924388_1701792702.jpg.1f46ecee688659f0c93b4449f8bbd1f0.jpg
AR26x23mm 16g billon tetradrachm, Antioch, Emesa or pseudo-Laodicea(?) ca. 219
 

They come from a series of widespread Syrian tetradrachms minted for Elagabal starting with 219 at an uncertain mint, either Antioch or Laodicea or Emesa. The series is struck in debased billon.

'"The tetradrachms with mint marks from numerous cities issued under Caracalla and Macrinus disappear under Elagabalus, and are replaced by a very common and relatively uniform issue with an eagle with a star between its legs, dated by Elagabalus' second consulship (A.D. 219). This has been interpreted by most authors to indicate that the multiple wartime tetradrachm mints were consolidated at Antioch....However, it is by no means certain that Antioch was the site of this consolidated tetradrachm mint. There are at least three candidates for the mint (Antioch, Emesa and Laodicea), with arguments for and against each."' (McAlee, Coins of Roman Antioch, p. 285)

The two specs here are possibly part of a deposit and were offered by the auction house together with other similar specimens, with similar patina and flan shape. They are likely the product of the same minting operation.

The earthen fill is also legit, it passed the acetone test.

Edited by seth77
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Here's a South Arabia hemidrachm, the first of this denomination I've owned.  For such as small coin, the centering and detail on both sides are very nice!  I'm using the seller's images - much better than my dark obscure ones!

South Arabia, Qataban Kingdom, AR hemidrachm, circa 350-300 BC.  Royal monogram on reverse, as usual for this denomination.

2.54 grams

D-CameraQatabanhemidrachmc.350-300BCroyalmonog2.54g1-8-24.jpg.05ae57402ee577fadce6c5879591c4b7.jpg

Edited by robinjojo
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This will be the first Ancient I receive in 2024 and it is in transit now.

image.png.9af2b06d376e1cbde231b93facac2a9a.png


Mark Antony, 44-30 BC. Denarius (Silver, 18 mm, 3.55 g, 12 h), military mint moving with Mark Antony (Patrae?), 32-31. ANT#AVG / III#VIR#R#P#C Galley right, with scepter tied with fillet on prow. Rev. LEGXVIII LYBICAE Aquila between two signa. Babelon (Antonia) 130. Crawford 544/11. CRI 375. RBW 1836. Sydenham 1240. Rough and with some scratches, otherwise, good fine. Ex Leu.

I have been the underbidder on a couple of Lybicae in the past couple of years  so I was very pleased to be successful with this one. Not as nice as the ones I missed but nicely fills my Lybicae gap.

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(A new) Galba incomming...! I love these character faces 😍

 

Lucius Livius Ocella Servius Sulpicius Galba (born 24 December 3 BC near Tarracina; died 15 January 69 AD in Rome) was Roman Emperor from 8 June 68 AD to 15 January 69 AD. In the year of his death, three more emperors were appointed, which is why it has gone down in history as the Four Emperors' Year. Galba was the first emperor who did not come from the Julio-Claudian imperial house. Already after the assassination of Caligula by the Praetorians on 24 January 41 AD, Galba is said to have been urged for the first time by his friends to reach for power, but he refused. In the winter of 67/68 AD, under the initiative of Gaius Iulius Vindex, governor of the unarmed province of Gallia Lugdunensis, an insurrectionary movement began against Nero. Galba initially remained neutral in response to the latter's request for support, neither joining nor sending news of the rebellion to Rome, as other commanders did. This seems to have been because Galba did not trust the letters. It was not until the beginning of April 68 AD that Galba joined the rebellion and was proclaimed emperor on 3 April in Carthago Nova by soldiers and provincials. However, he initially called himself legatus Senatus Populique Romani, as the final decision on Nero's successor was to be left to the Senate. Galba also sent letters to the other provincial governors asking for their support. These requests were met by Aulus Caecina Alienus, the quaestor of Baetica, and Marcus Salvius Otho, the governor of Lusitania, who joined him. It was precisely Otho's financial support that Galba needed to pay his troops. News of his confirmation as emperor probably reached Galba on 16 or 18 June, when his freedman Icelus arrived in Clunia. This was followed two days later by a message containing the exact text of the Senate's decision, delivered by the senator Titus Vinius. Galba now assumed the name Servius Galba Imperator Caesar Augustus and the tribunicia potestas.

Lucius Livius Ocella Servius Sulpicius Galba; Reign: Galba, Roman Imperial, Civil War; Mint: Antiochia ad Orontem, Syria; Date: c. 68 AD; Nominal: Tetradrachm; Material: Silver; Diameter: 25.5mm; Weight: 15.00g; Reference: Wruck 56; Reference: Prieur 95; Reference: McAlee 304; Reference: RPC I 4195; Obverse: Laureate head of Galba, right; to right, star; Inscription: ΓΑΛΒΑϹ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡ ϹΕΒΑϹΤΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ; Translation: Galbas Autokrator Sebastos Kaisaras; Translation: Galba Imperator Augustus Caesar; Reverse: Eagle on thunderbolt, left; to left, palm branch; Inscription: ΕΤΟΥϹ ΝΕΟΥ ΙΕΡΟΥ Α; Translation: Etous neou ierou Alpha; Translation: First new sacred year.
 
GALBRPC4195.png.aff1435ebf68652ccecb1b195273da9a.png
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The other 2 coins that came with my Magnus Maximus. Husband and wife: Theodosius I and Aelia Flaccilla.

 

AeliaFlaccillaAE23378-388ADSALVSREIPVBLICAECONE.png.71fd8ef43f1906fc90df2ae66f318bba.png

Aelia Flaccilla
AE 23mm
Obverse: AEL FLAC-CILLA AVG, diademed and draped bust right
Reverse: SALVS REI-PVBLICAE, Victory seated right, inscribing Chi-Rho on shield
Mintmark CON Epsilon

 

TheodosiusIFollis392-395ADGLORIAROMANORVMCONS.png.ee3f02765c67d3c090ecb4077b3887f0.png

Theodosius I
AE2
392-395 AD
Obverse: DN THEODO-SIVS PF AVG, Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust, right
Reverse: GLORIA ROMANORVM, Emperor standing facing, head right., holding standard and globe
Mintmark: CONS(delta)

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Beware of Greeks bearing gifts, Vergil already knew something similar.

Pamphylia, was a small region on the southern coast of Anatolia, extending about 120 km (75 miles) between Lycia and Cilicia, and north from the Mediterranean only about 50 km (30 miles) to mountainous Pisidia. The Pamphylians were a mixture of aboriginal inhabitants, immigrant Cilicians and Greeks who migrated there from Arcadia and Peloponnese in the 12th century B.C. The region first enters history in a treaty between the Hittite Great King Tudhaliya IV and his vassal, where the city "Parha" (Perge) is mentioned. Pamphylia was subdued by the Mermnad kings of Lydia and afterward passed in succession under the dominion of Persian and Hellenistic monarchs. After the defeat of Antiochus III in 190 B.C. they were annexed by the Romans to the dominions of Eumenes of Pergamum; but somewhat later they joined with the Pisidians and Cilicians in piracy, and Side became the chief center and slave mart of these freebooters. Pamphylia was for a short time included in the dominions of Amyntas, king of Galatia, but after his death was absorbed into a Roman province. The Pamphylians became largely Hellenized in Roman times, and have left magnificent memorials of their civilization at Perga, Aspendos, and Side.

 

PAMPHYLIA, GREEK COINS GRIECHISCHE MÜNZEN; Magsitrate: Deino[...?]; Mint: Side, Pamphylia; Date: c. 205/100 BC; Nominal: Tetradrachm; Material: Silver; Diameter: 30.2mm; Weight: 16.95g; Reference: Seyrig Side 8; Reference: SNG BN 678-81; Reference: SNG France 678-81; Reference: SNG von Aulock 4787; Reference: SNG Copenhagen 393-4; Obverse: Helmeted head of Athena right; Reverse: Nike advancing left, holding wreath; pomegranate to left; Inscription: ΔΕΙ ΝΟ; Translation: DEI NO; Translation: Magistrate Deino[...?].
 
PAMPHYSNG678.png.761da96c9720d7e7e57d4706463f9575.png
 
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Cleaning some LRBs from a lot of uncleaned and I came across a coin I haven’t come across previously. As with almost all the LRBs I find,I assume, especially because the condition, it’s not worth more than a few bucks. 
 

I do like it though as it was so heavily encrusted with malachite and other corrosion, that I do feel accomplished in saving it. Much more so than a Constantius II.

Licinius II - AE3 - 321AD  RIC VII Thessalonica 119

Mint
Thessalonica
Obverse
LICINIVS IVN NOB CAES: Bust of Licinius II, laureate, draped, cuirassed, left
Reverse
CAESARVM NOSTRORVM: VOT/V within a laurel wreath
Reverse Legend
CAESARVM NOSTRORVM
 
IMG_5874.jpeg.151cf8b7264e2fdb233e6305410d3f6b.jpegIMG_5875.jpeg.c93e9d39cceed236edcf7ead7c4f423a.jpeg
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image.png.e1f62edbacf01e498456a3ce8ad721da.png

Srilanka (Ceylon), Kingdom of Polonnaruwa, Queen Lilavati (11-12 Century AD), Copper Kahavanu 4.25g

Obv: king standing facing front, holding a lamp in his right hand and a flower in his left hand

Rev: seated king facing right, left arm raised upward, holding a shell, right arm holding a hanging lamp, Nagari legend at right "'Sri Raja Lila vati"

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A Vespasian denarius, the first of the four ancient coins I bought at the NYINC yesterday that I've had a chance to write up and try to photograph.

I decided that I liked it and wanted to buy it because (1) it's a reverse type that wasn't familiar to me and depicts animals, always a favorite type of mine even when the animals aren't exotic, (2) I previously had only one lifetime Vespasian denarius (the common type with a curule chair); (3) I liked the portrait, even though the obverse is a bit rough/porous; (4) even though the reverse is way off center, the oxen's heads are still on the flan and one can even see their faces; and (5) Dr. Dieterle gave me a good price for it.

Vespasian AR Denarius AD 77-78, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG / Rev. Pair of oxen, yoked, to left; in exergue, COS VIII. 17x18 mm., 3.04 g., 6 hr. RIC II-1 Vespasian 943 (p. 127) (2007 ed.); RSC II 133a; BMCRE II Vespasian 206 (p. 38) (ill. Pl. VI.9); Sear RCV I 2289 (p. 435). “Worn die on obverse around wreath.” Purchased from Dr. Martina Dieterle, Schenkenzell, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, 12 Jan. 2024 (at NYINC 2024).

COMBINED2Vespasian-oxen(obv2rev2).jpg.003d2afff160edc0602dffecc16f0e04.jpg

Edited by DonnaML
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Another purchase I made yesterday at the NYINC. I love the portrait -- that shiny bald head! -- as well as the rather unusual-looking reverse.

Divus Carus (issued by Carinus), Billon Tetradrachm, undated (struck Autumn AD 283 [death of Carus] - Spring 285 [death of Carinus]), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, ΘΕω ΚΑΡω ϹΕΒ / Rev. Flaming altar tied with garland; star to left of flame; ΑΦΙΕΡ-ωϹΙϹ [Consecration, Dedication = Latin Consecratio] around altar. 18 mm., 6.64 g. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. X Online 75880 [temporary ID number] (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/75880 ); BMC 16 Alexandria 2446 p. 316 (ill. Pl. XXX) (possible rev. die match?; ill at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coin/376891 as primary specimen of RPC type 75880) [Poole, Reginald Stuart, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 16, Alexandria (London, 1892)]; Milne 4733 (possible rev. die match?; ill. at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coin/376905  as 18th specimen of RPC type 75880) [Milne, J.G., Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins (Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)]; K & G 113.5 (ill. p. 341) [Kampmann, Ursula & Ganschow, Thomas, Die Münzen der römischen Münzstätte Alexandria  (2008)]; Emmett 3995 [Emmett, Keith, Alexandrian Coins (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; Dattari (Savio) 5570-71 [Savio, A. ed., Catalogo completo della collezione Dattari Numi Augg. Alexandrini (Trieste, 2007)]; Köln 3167-68 [Geissen, A., Katalog alexandrinischer Kaisermünzen, Köln, Band 4 Claudius Gothicus – Nachträge (1983)]. Purchased from Herakles Numismatics (Perry Siegel), Charlotte, NC, 12 Jan 2024 (at 2024 NYINC).

CarinustetradrachmRomanAlexandriaflamingaltarreverse(HeraklesNumismatics).jpg.df8493f5c5362571d7dc5edeeb93d00e.jpg

As far as the possible reverse die matches I noted are concerned, the placement of the letters differs slightly, but the altars and flames themselves are certainly quite close:

BMC:

image.png.bab01b78be000f03b99bfc74d674b25c.png

 

Milne:

image.png.971eb8f21fec264faa5ab982b91526a8.png

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I bought the atoninianus for the nice galley reverse and to make a pair with my sestertius bought some years ago.The sertertius looks much better in hand.
    
Postumus AR Antoninianus. RIC 73
IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / 
LAETITIA AVG, galley left with four rowers and pilot. 
23 mm / 2.6 g

image.jpeg.6988985d1e6324d4556304dc89644db0.jpeg

    
Postumus AE Double Sestertius. RIC 143
IMP C M CASS LAT POSTVMVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / 
LAETITIA AVG, Galley right with three or four rowers, sometimes with steersman.

image.jpeg.c541b656d2a2ddd7d92f6b2f7cd99a35.jpeg

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